Getting Started with Cisco IOS XR Software

This chapter introduces the routers that support Cisco IOS XR software and the user interfaces you can use to manage routers that run Cisco IOS XR software. This chapter also describes how to bring up a new router that uses Cisco IOS XR software.

•Cisco XR12000 and 12000 Series SPA Interface Processor (SIP)-600 and the following shared port adapters (SPAs):

–1-Port 10-Gigabit Ethernet SPA

–5-Port Gigabit Ethernet SPA

–10-Port Gigabit Ethernet SPA

–1-Port OC-192c/STM-64c PoS/RPR SPA

Router Management Interfaces

Because new routers are not yet configured for your environment, you must start configuration using the command-line interface (CLI). This guide provides instructions on using the CLI to configure basic router features. The Cisco IOS XR software supports the following router management interfaces, which are described in the following sections:

Command-Line Interface

The CLI is the primary user interface for configuring, monitoring, and maintaining routers that run the Cisco IOS XR software. The CLI allows you to directly and simply execute Cisco IOS XR commands.

All procedures in this guide use the CLI. Before you can use other router management interfaces, you must first use the CLI to install and configure those interfaces. Guidelines for using the CLI are presented in the following chapters:

For information on CLI procedures for other procedures, such as hardware interface and software protocol management, see the Cisco IOS XR software documents listed in the "Related Documents" section.

Craft Works Interface

The Craft Works Interface (CWI) is a client-side application used to configure and manage routers that run the Cisco IOS XR software. CWI includes advanced CLI features and a graphical user interface (GUI, see Figure 1-1), and it is included with the Cisco IOS XR Manageability package.

The CWI is a desktop used to launch management and configuration applications. The management and configuration features include fault management, configuration management, performance management, security management, and inventory management, with an emphasis on speed and efficiency. For more information, see the Cisco IOS XR software documents listed in the "Related Documents" section.

Figure 1-1 Craft Works Interface Browser Screen

Extensible Markup Language API

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) application programming interface (API) is an XML interface used for rapid development of client applications and perl scripts to manage and monitor the router. Client applications can be used to configure the router or request status information from the router by encoding a request in XML API tags and sending it to the router. The router processes the request and sends the response to the client in the form of encoded XML API tags. The XML API supports readily available transport layers, including Telnet, Secure Shell (SSH), and Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). The Secure Socket Layer (SSL) transport is also supported by the XML API.

Simple Network Management Protocol

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an application-layer protocol designed to facilitate the exchange of management information between network devices. By using SNMP-transported data (such as packets per second and network error rates), network administrators can more easily manage network performance, find and solve network problems, and plan for network growth.

The Cisco IOS XR software supports SNMP v1, v2c, and v3. SNMP is part of a larger architecture called the Internet Network Management Framework (NMF), which is defined in Internet documents called RFCs. The SNMPv1 NMF is defined by RFCs 1155, 1157, and 1212, and the SNMPv2 NMF is defined by RFCs 1441 through 1452.

SNMP is a popular protocol for managing diverse commercial internetworks and those used in universities and research organizations. SNMP-related standardization activity continues even as vendors develop and release state-of-the-art, SNMP-based management applications. SNMP is a relatively simple protocol, yet its feature set is sufficiently powerful to handle the difficult problems presented in trying to manage the heterogeneous networks of today.

Bringing Up the Cisco IOS XR Software on a Router for the First Time

This section provides instructions for bringing up the Cisco IOS XR software on a router for the first time. This section applies to routers that are delivered with Cisco IOS XR software installed.

Note If you are upgrading a Cisco 12000 Series Router from Cisco IOS software to Cisco IOS XR software, see the Cisco IOS XR software document titled Upgrading from Cisco IOS to Cisco IOS XR Software on the Cisco 12000 Series Router.

The following sections provide information related to bringing up a system:

For information on how to complete these procedures for your router equipment, see the hardware documents listed in the "Related Documents" section.

Note If you are upgrading a Cisco 12000 Series Router from Cisco IOS software to Cisco IOS XR software, you must first prepare the router. Refer to Upgrading from Cisco IOS to Cisco IOS XR Software on the Cisco 12000 Series Router for more information. See the "Related Documents" section for a complete listing of available documents.

Connecting to the Router Through the Console Port

The first time you connect to a new router with Cisco IOS XR software, you must connect through the Console port on the active route processor (RP) or PRP card. Although typical router configuration and management take place using an Ethernet port on the RP or PRP, this port must be configured for your local area network before it can be used.

Figure 1-2 shows the RP connections on the Cisco CRS-1 16-Slot Line Card Chassis, and Figure 1-3 shows the RP connections on the Cisco CRS-1 8-Slot Line Card Chassis. Figure 1-4 shows the PRP-2 connections on the Cisco XR 12000 Series Router.

Note Cisco IOS XR software does not support the PRP-1.

Note Throughout this guide, the term RP is used to refer to the RP cards supported on Cisco CRS-1s and the PRP cards supported on Cisco XR 12000 Series Routers. If a feature or an issue applies to only one platform, the accompanying text specifies the platform.

Figure 1-2 Communication Ports on the RP for a Cisco CRS-1 16-Slot Line Card Chassis

Figure 1-3 Communication Ports on the RP for a Cisco CRS-1 8-Slot Line Card Chassis

Figure 1-4 Communication Ports on the PRP-2 for a Cisco XR 12000 Series Router

•On Cisco CRS-1 RPs, the primary RP is identified by a lighted Primary LED on the RP front panel.

•On a Cisco XR 12000 Series Router, the primary RP is identified by the alphanumeric display: PRI RP.

•If there are multiple RPs on a Cisco XR 12000 Series Router when it is first started, the default configuration selects the RP in the lowest numbered slot as the primary RP and the designated shelf controller (DSC).

Note To have an RP in a higher-numbered slot become the DSC, you must bring up the router with only that RP installed. Once the chosen RP becomes the DSC, it remains the DSC after subsequent restarts and you can add the other RPs.

Step 3

Connect a terminal to the Console port of the primary RP.

Establishes a communications path to the router.

•During the initial setup, you can communicate with the router only through the Console port of the primary RP.

•The router Console port is designed for a serial cable connection to a terminal or a computer that is running a terminal emulation program.

•The terminal settings are:

–Bits per second: 9600/9600

–Data bits: 8

–Parity: None

–Stop bit: 2

–Flow control: None

•For information on the cable requirements for the Console port, see the hardware documentation listed in the"Related Documents" section.

Step 4

Start the terminal emulation program.

(Optional.) Prepares a computer for router communications.

•The step is not required if you are connecting through a terminal.

•Terminals send keystrokes to and receive characters from another device. If you connect a computer to the Console port, you must use a terminal emulation program to communicate with the router. For instructions on using the terminal emulation program, see the documentation for that program.

Step 5

Press Enter.

Initiates communication with the router.

•If no text or router prompt appears when you connect to the console port, press Enter to initiate communications.

•If no text appears when you press Enter, give the router more time to complete the initial boot procedure, then press Enter.

•If the router has no configuration, the router displays the prompt: Enter root-system username:

•The root-system username is for a user who manages the router in the admin plane. All general router configuration takes place in the admin plan. (If the router is configured with more than one logical router, logical router configuration takes place outside the admin plane when a user logs in with a username defined for the logical router.)

•If the router has been configured, the router displays the prompt: Username:

Step 6

Type the username for the root-system login and press Return.

Sets the root-system username, which is used to log in to the router.

Step 7

Type the password for the root-system login and press Return.

Creates an encrypted password for the root-system username.

Step 8

Log in to the router.

Establishes your access rights for the router management session.

•Enter the root-system username and password that were created earlier in this procedure.

•After you log in, the router displays the CLI prompt, which is described in the "CLI Prompt" section.

Examples

The following example shows the root-system username and password configuration for a new router, and it shows the initial log in: